Jurassic Park (ENGLISH)

Jurassic Park (John Williams). When dinosaurs ruled the earth. The joint work between Steven Spielberg and John Williams is a classic adventure, drama, science fiction and with a touch of family film. The idea of the park filled with dinosaurs created from the cloning of their DNA discovered in fossilized mosquitoes was an adaptation of the novel with the same name of Michael Crichton, personal friend of Steven Spielberg for many years before the production of the film. Jurassic Park is one more example of that, if the adaptation is good, many of the best cinematographic stories are those that are based on previously written novels, where the richness and the plausibility of the whole of the work is appreciated. In them, the time devoted to documenting and perfecting the plot is usually much higher than that devoted to film screenplays written directly for this medium, which ends up being noticed in multiple details that link the story and give it a halo of truth. The film produced some spectacular visual results for the time (1993), in which some computer generated effects were combined with Stan Winston's huge puppets. Despite the success of this masterpiece of entertainment, neither the film, nor the director, nor the composer were nominated for Academy Awards. But they would not leave empty that year, as while Williams recorded the Jurassic Park soundtrack, Steven Spielberg was already filming Schindler's List, a film that would receive Oscar that year in the three mentioned sections.

The original soundtrack was released in 1993 on a 16 track album. The 20th Anniversary commemorative edition includes four tracks and 11 minutes extra compared to the original 1993 edition. This edition is only available through digital download and in certain markets. In 2014, Mondo label reissued the original album in vinyl format, with two different presentations, which included the same tracks as the original CD edition of 1993. The extended edition of 2016 (released in conjunction with the expanded score of The Lost World (1997)) just adds 4-5 minutes not marketed before, but the great packaging of the compilation, the very extensive booklet with abundant information about the production of the film, and the chronological order of the tracks, make of this compilation a good purchase for whom did not have any of the previously edited albums. Something that is missing in the extensive booklet is some photos from the recording sessions of the soundtrack, a frankly unforgivable mistake.

The seriousness with which the film starts is the first premise of an effective screenwriter: catch the viewer as soon as possible, so that the incident on the Nublar island is self-sufficient. Just before, in the opening credits, Williams includes his great contribution for this purpose, with a brief but very disturbing Opening Titles, which places the viewer in a suspenseful environment. During Incident at Isla Nublar appears one of Williams's geniuses, the effect of ascending-descending scale in strings, dressed with chain sounds, which suggests the danger and relentless stalking of the dinosaur that they try to move. The moment when the spectator truly begins to savor the essence of the park takes place on Journey to the Island, just as John Hammond sights the island, and in which John Williams deploys his talent to finally immerse the spectator within the park of dinosaurs, all aided by the long sequence of the trip and arrival to the island, no less than 9 minutes of musical magic. The lavish fanfares give the impression of grandeur, exactly what the park and the dinosaurs that inhabit it represent.

Hatching Baby Raptor becomes the lullaby for the baby dinosaur's birth sequence in front of Hammond's eyes and the stunned guests. While Dr. Grant holds the newborn, it is revealed that the baby is a velociraptor. Grant's countenance becomes distrustful, as if he is perceiving the risk represented by that baby he holds in his hands and the dangerous power that is handled in that laboratory room. The music changes drastically from the previous lullaby to a subtle intrigue near the threat, which musically leads to the nightmare in which the park will become somewhat later. Next, Jurassic Park Gate begins decidedly adventurous, with drums that evoke the explorers who venture into unknown and distant lands. Although soon, the suspensive suggestions appear on the track, a circumstance that endures in Goat Bait, the sequence in which the tyrannosaurus is tempted with a bait. But not all dinosaurs represent danger, and Ailing Triceratops is a perfect example. As sick triceratops is examined by the doctors and park staff, the musicality of the sequence of an herbivorous and languid animal comforts the viewer as a pillow on the bed.

The Coming Storm is the perfect title for the movie act that begins here: the atmospheric storm is about to explode, as well as the plan plotted by Dennis Nedry, the employee responsible for the park's computer systems. Nedry intends to steal the dinosaur embryos by deactivating the security systems, and initiates his plan disguising the faults as simple maintenance by de-bugging the phones. Dennis Steals the Embryo is a long track with infiltration taste, along which Dennis steals the embryos and the systems of the park begin to fail. In The Falling Car appears the Williams more similar to Star Wars, while Grant and the small Tim fall hastily from the tree, fleeing of the visitor’s car that come to them in its accelerated descent. Ellie and Muldoon arrive at the tyrannosaurus' fence to rescue Hammond's grandchildren, but they only find traces of the disaster. In this sequence, the strings begin one of the most recognizable melodies of the soundtrack, between drama and mortal persecution. Then, after checking that Grant and the children have fled, the effect of ascending-descending scale appears again, this time on wind instruments. The effect appears while Ian Malcolm remains alone in the jeep, listening to the tyrannosaurus' footsteps and their effect on the puddles of water, just before the start of the pursuit of the three protagonists by the T-Rex. Dinosaurs are loose and hunting and stalking humans has begun.

But after the storm, comes the calm. Using the main theme of Jurassic Park as a lullaby, A Tree for My Bed musicalizes the sequence in which, to spend the night, Grant and the children climb a tree, where they find a peaceful haven of peace while listening to the brachiosaurus communicate with each other during the night. Then follows one of the most shocking scenes in the story: Hammond remembers his youth with his first attraction, his flea circus of Petticoat Lane. Once again, Williams's genius musicalizes a moment that psychologically turns the story upside down: millionaire philanthropist John Hammond who "spared no expense", is alone in one of the park's dining rooms, surrounded by great amount of merchandising ready to be sold and eating ice cream because "it was all melting". The musical moment of Remembering Petticoat Lane has a great nostalgic and sad force, and adds it to the list of great melodies to remember from this soundtrack. My Friend, the Brachiosaurus recalls Williams of E.T., with a kind melody for the sequence in which Grant and the children feed the brachiosaurus from the top of the tree. Life Finds a Way confirms that Ian Malcolm's theories were true, when Grant finds dinosaur eggs. The finding shows that the animals are breeding out of the control of the park scientists. The musical treatment uses the melody of Hatching Baby Raptor, returning to the same moment of the velociraptor birth previously seen, and in which it was discussed precisely about the subject of the dinosaurs’ procreation. At High Wire Stunts, again the lurking tune on strings heard in The Falling Car accompanies Ellie to the electric panel to power the park. In The Raptor Attack, musical stalking of velociraptors while children hide in the kitchen runs with all sorts of orchestral resources and dissonances, which also linger on the next track, T-Rex Rescue and Finale. During this track, Lex manages to activate the locks using the computer, allowing the composer to change the melody to the main theme of the soundtrack, giving the first moment of heroism and relief since long footage. But again the pursuits of the velociraptors take the musicality of the track to the path of the previous overwhelm, until the savior tyrannosaur enters the scene, devouring the velociraptors and allowing the protagonists to flee.

Already safe in the InGen helicopter back to mainland, a foreground of the mosquito trapped in fossil sap from Hammond's cane gives the foot to start the final track, curiously titled Welcome to Jurassic Park, and represents a summary of the two main themes of the score, initially performed in piano.

Undoubtedly, Jurassic Park is one of the most important soundtracks of John Williams, well known for the popular impact of the film, which does not detract from the great work done by the extremely skilled composer.